Failure is Good for the Soul

What? We need failure? Why yes, yes we do. There so many ways I could go about stating why we need failure, but I’m going to preface this with a story…

The other day, while I was on the clock at the coffee shop I work at, I got into a conversation with another barista and one of our regulars. Now, this conversation started out as just small talk about some local music festivals but then it turned into a conversation about failures. Our regular was saying that he totally failed at trying to find jobs as a band manager, but then continued on to say “but without failures we fail to learn.” Which is so true if you think about it.

We need failures so we can grow. Growth comes when mistakes make us realize that we need to make changes to improve on our current situation.

The problems we face with embracing failure is that it’s so greatly discouraged and the perfectionist that’s within our souls gets upset at our lack of perfection. We sit there reading into our failure thinking that we aren’t good enough or we’ll never accomplish anything, but in real life, that’s not true.

On that idea, there’s a scripture verse that really solidifies it…

2 Corinthians 12:9-10 (ESV)

“But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

That verse just backs up the idea that it doesn’t matter if we think we’re good enough, if we lose hope, or if we just think we never accomplish anything, that it’s not true. God loves us, and he gives us grace, which enables us to be able to continue even if we fail.

I can honestly say that I’m extremely thankful for every single one of my failures because every failure shows your character. I say that because when you fail or make a mistake you can either throw in the towel or get back up and keep trying. The both of those outcomes show who you are at your core, but the thing is, even if you don’t get back up, God gives countless opportunities to essentially redeem yourself.

Our weaknesses and failures don’t make God love us any less or make us any less useful, in fact every mistake adds to our personal story. In the verse it even says that Gods power is made prevalent in our weaknesses. See… “for my power is made perfect in weakness.”

Let me say though, just because the verse says that doesn’t mean go out and screw up your life because you know that God will give you grace, it means do your best and when you mess up or fail, that God will be with you the whole time ready to make you whole again. Isaiah 44:22 (ESV) is a great example of that, it says “I have blotted out your transgressions like a cloud and your sins like mist; return to me, for I have redeemed you.”

So pretty much, because of Jesus and his grace, its ok if you make mistakes. He will always forgive you, but don’t set out to totally screw up because you know that you’ll get grace. Do your best, and love The Lord.

I know that this post is kind of short, my motivation is slightly lacking. Even though my motivation is not up to par, I hope this post holds you beautiful people over. So, have an amazing week, love you all!